Simple recipes for vegetarian potlucks.
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Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Lentil Salad

This recipe is a family favorite and has recently been my most frequent potluck contribution. Although it looks a bit daunting at first, it scales very easily. I usually mix enough of all the spices for 12 batches and keep them in a big jar (think peanut butter or pickles) in the spice cabinet. When I need to make some salad, I can just cook the lentils (~ 20 min), chop the onions while they're cooking, and toss in the lentils. Voila!

Like many dishes, this one tastes even better after sitting for a day, so you can make it a couple days before your potluck. From The Frog Commissary Cookbook by Steven Poses, et. al.

Rinse 1 lb. green or brown lentils in a siv, removing bad lentils and stones. Put them in pot with water to cover, plus another knuckles-width above. Boil the water and then bring it down to a simmer and cook until all the water is gone or until the lentils are soft enough to chew while still holding their shape. Drain any leftover water.